Monday, March 10, 2014

waiting...hoping

It's as though we're all holding our breath this morning...waiting. Waiting for the sky to clear and the snow to melt. Waiting to shed our coats and scarves. The birds are quiet. Not a blade of grass has come to life. It hasn't occurred to the trees that they should be in bud by now. Last year they were. By this time last year the woods were coming to life:






This year all we can do is to wait and hope:



In addition to waiting for the arrival of spring, I'm waiting for the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Conference to begin next week. I'm hoping to pitch my WIP which is quite a departure for me...from literary fiction to Christian non-fiction. This means I have to pitch my book proposal, not the final manuscript...meaning more waiting and hoping as I move ahead with the narrative. Here is an overview of the book:

"It doesn’t take a degree in theology, philosophy, or medicine to make sense of the problem of pain. We can learn everything we need to know from ordinary people.

Beyond Belief recounts dozens of stories from people who have endured some of life’s darkest moments—a child’s death, a friend’s suicide, a cancer diagnosis—and gone on to forge a strong faith in God. They don’t blame him for their misfortune. They don’t question God’s motives or methods. Instead, their stories help us reconcile the contradictions between what we have been taught to believe about a kind and merciful God with what we experience in our lives.

This book does not pretend to interpret scripture. It has nothing to say about the ancient philosophers, nor does it rely on convoluted explanations of theoretical physics that argue for or against the existence of God. Beyond Belief suggests that we abandon the futile quest for the answers we want from God--Why me? Why this? Why now?--and instead, embrace what we need from him--strength, solace, and hope.


Beyond Belief is about the extraordinary faith of ordinary people, and what we can learn from them."

What are you waiting for? What keeps your hope alive?
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Don't let this happen to you...
jan

4 comments:

  1. Well there's a thought provoking post for you.

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  2. Good luck with your pitch. I'm more than anxious for spring. One more snow storm coming.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Susan. It sounds like this week's storm is going to be mostly cold rain and wind. Frankly, I'd prefer snow!

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